Disney delays Black Widow and West Side Story release dates to next year amid global pandemic

Disney announced another delay to their programming schedule amid the ongoing global pandemic, according to Deadline.

The television and film giant revealed Marvel’s Black Widow will debut in May after initially scheduled for a November release.

Steven Speilberg’s West Side Story is being pushed back by an entire year and will now see screens in December 2021. 

Moving back: The television and film giant revealed Marvel’s Black Widow will debut in May after initially scheduled for a November release

The moves follow disappointing efforts to get Americans back into movie theaters after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered theaters worldwide in March.

Black Widow had originally been scheduled to debut in May before Disney moved it to Nov. 6. 

The film stars Scarlett Johansson as the Marvel action hero and was due to be the next big-budget Hollywood movie slated for theaters. 

Steven Speilberg’s West Side Story is being pushed back by an entire year and will now see screens in December 2021

Speilberg’s take on West Side Story will now hit theaters on Dec. 10, 2021

The new date means several other Marvel movies are facing a delay, including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which was due to be released on Black Widow’s new date, May 7.

Instead, Shang-Chi will launch on July 9, while The Eternals — which was meant to follow Black Widow in February next year — will hit cinema screens on Nov. 5, 2021. 

As part of the shuffle, a number of other Disney projects were also postponed, including the Kingsman prequel The King’s Man, and Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile. 

Work in progress: Black Widow had originally been scheduled to debut in May before Disney moved it to Nov. 6

Scarlett previously said Black Widow is being released at the ideal time, despite making her debut as the eponymous hero a decade ago in Iron Man 2.

She claimed that the success of films such as Captain Marvel and DC’s Wonder Woman has created a trend for female characters to lead their own stories, making it the perfect time for a stand-alone Black Widow flick. 

‘For anyone who said to me, “Oh this (Black Widow film) should’ve happened five or 10 years ago,” I’m like, it would not have been as substantial. We just would not have been able to do it,’ she said. ‘The film is happening now as a result of what’s going on in the zeitgeist, and I think it’s pretty cool.’ 

Delayed: The Eternals — which was meant to follow Black Widow in February next year — will hit cinema screens on Nov. 5, 2021